"I just didn't feel like I had a purpose. I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life. I looked at the big picture and thought about what I really wanted for myself and I made the decision. Ever since then my life got better and better," Miscikoski, 29, said.

On March 18, 2008, Miscikoski, a sergeant, joined the Army National Guard and his efforts and those of other Torrington men serving in a deployment in Afghanistan were recognized on Tuesday at a small reception hosted by Mayor Ryan J. Bingham.

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